Common

The public is invited to participate in a live theatrical experience on the Amherst Town Common to mark the Town Common’s place in history in the 250th year of the United States on September 19, 2026. Participants simply need headphones and a smart phone to scan a QR code prior to the start time to access the piece, then gather on the grassy south section of the common to wait for the experience to begin. The audio/promenade piece was created by John Bechtold, Creative Director of Eggtooth Productions (eggtooth.org) with sound by Samuel V. Perry.Bechtold was inspired by the Common’s history and the early works of Thornton Wilder and his piece *common* offers participants an imaginative reorientation of the town common while building a communal experience for all. Featuring a simple, web-based soundtrack that leads you through the piece, audience members will be able to pocket their devices for the entire piece after tapping “Begin” so that they can attend to the world around them. Having debuted in July 2026, *common* returns this fall through a special collaboration with the award-winning Amherst Regional High School Theater Company, which launched the country's first high school immersive theater program in 2011.Created by John Bechtold with the support of Eggtooth Productions and produced by the Amherst Historical Society with support from the Amherst Cultural Council and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.